The present invention relates to tools for pulling and tensioning metal bands and locking them in their tensioned condition, and more particularly to an improved power-operated machine that is especially useful in the securing of hose clamps about rubber hoses or other conduits and the like.
The present invention is an improvement of the hose clamping machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,788, issued to J. E. Ott et al. on Apr. 3, 1962, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the disclosure of which patent is incorporated herein by reference. That prior device has a clamp pulling assembly which is driven by an air motor and has a very short stroke, approximately 5/8 inch, so that tensioning a band to the desired tension requires reciprocation of the pulling means through a succession of alternating band-pulling and return strokes. Special control valve means is necessary to cause the drive motor automatically to continue reciprocating until the desired tension is reached, in response to a single application of the control valve. Consequently, the drive assembly is quite complicated and expensive.
The prior machine also includes a clamp cutting or severing mechanism which is coupled to the drive motor drive linkage for movement therewith to sever the collar of a tension clamp and remove the clamp from an associated hose. That severing means is non-adjustable and can be utilized only for a single size of band collar.